The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-10-06
The Care of Corn Fodder.


much value-to many. We are well aware
that in this part of Ohio fodder is not
taken care of as it should be- There is
not nearly the value placed on it that
there is where corn is not raised in such
abundance. The care of the fodder
should commence with the cutting of the
corn. Corn here is usually cut in shocks
of - by IA hills, sometimes larger. 1t is
we'll To commence by half shocking, tying
each half shock with !. corn-stalk as near
the top as possible catching all the stalks.
a stalk of corn for a tie will stand the
necessary strain; if drawn too tight the
fodder is liable to mould.
When the shocks are filled out they
should be tied again. This time it will
be much more difficult to tie with corn
stalks, and it will be much easier to use
broom corn, or better still, fodder or wool
twine, a pound of which, costing to 10
cents, will tie 25 to 35 shocks, if the,shocks
are well compressed with a rope drawn
around them. We use small device
with pulley for the rope to run on,
which is much better than a ring on end
vi biiO 1Opt. LII Is USELESS 10 Ult d SllOCh
of corn with twine without. first drawing
together with a rope or strap. The twine
cannot be drawn sufficiently tight by
hand to do any good. The shock soon
cures and shrinks so much that the twine
will hang loose.
1t is best to husk the corn as soon as it
will do to crib, and it should be husked
when the fodder is damp to prevent
breaking and consequent waste. Some
men can husk corn when the fodder is
very dry without damage to the fodder,
while other men break and tear it to
pieces, no matter how damp it is. We
have never thought much of tying the
fodder in bundles, and men husking by
the bushel think much less of it. We
never could make out there was enough
made by it to compensate for extra time
required to do it. The plan that suits US
best is to place two shocks together after
husking, and if the table of four hills
locked together at the top for the corn
shock support stands firm, set the fodder
up around it. Pains should be taken to
set it up in medium-sized armfulls;
have the butts all even and the stocks
straight.
One great mistake with huskers, and
one damaging to the fodder, is to pull
each ear up in front of their person to
husk it. Bend the back a little, and shift
the hands right and left and husk each
ear as near the:place found in the bundle
as possible. This leaves the fodder in
compact form, making it easier to set up.
And then when the fodder is to be hauled
from the field it is easy to load because
the punches can be taken from the shock
in size to suit the handlers strength and
no great skill to load wagon or sled
neatly and heavily.
To go back a little; after setting up
the fodder, place the draw rope around
the shock near the top, and draw as tight
ly as your strength will allow. Then tie
a loop in the end of your twine, push
loop under the draw rope to hold it while
you pass around the shock with the ball,
playing off the twine; cut the twine just
long enough when drawn about the shock
to pass thrugh the loop and tie in a bow
knot; when tied remove the draw rope.
in parts of the field exposed to high winds
it is advisable to tie the second time, be-
low rhe middle of the shock. Then if the
wind upsets the shock it., will likely re-
main intact. Some prefer to haul the
fodder in and stack near feed lots Or in
the barn. We have never been able to do
this in the hurry and hustle of the husk-
ing season. and again, shocking in the
field is objected to because in bad wealth
er it can not be hauled without injury to
the land. A little management does
away with this difficulty. When the soil
is frozen or otherwise solid, haul few
loads to the barn or feed lot. A conve-
nient way is to have two or three sleds
and on suitable day load them all, then
when bad day comes to do the feeding
it can be done quickly, easily, and with
out unnecessary exposure. We have been
assured by gentleman of large expert
eace and observation that fodder proper
ly shocked and tied in the field will not
waste to any greater extent than when
stacked. A very wasteful plan practiced
by many farmers when they set two
shocks two together, is to pull up the ta-
bles and place them about the fodder.
The soil hanging to the roots adds weight
and holds the fodder down, not up. 1t
will not blow away, and it can hardly be
hauled away if undertaken in frozen
weather. The practice of laying one-half
or whole shock of fodder on the ground
and setting the other around it will an
swer very well sometimes, but if the land
is low and wet it should not be done be-
cause of the serious loss sustained. Scar
city of feed should teach the farmers to
look after these points and practice them
in good times as well as hard ones. But
it takes more than scarcity of feed to
make some farmers drive clear of the old
ruts. And it is even harder to get them
to read and think.-Ohio Farmer.
OrderingfLuncha at Long Range!